Cake #1 - Mexican Chocolate Birthday Cake with Vanilla Bean Butter Frosting

The first cake I made was from the cookbook The Naptime Chef, and I had the help of my friend Julia who was visiting from out of town.  I had made the cake for an office party, but felt the cinnamon frosting was too overpowering, and that something more subtle would be more appealing.  I have always wanted to make something with vanilla beans and this seemed the right occasion.  The cake and frosting were good, although I'm not sure they were enough better than my other chocolate cakes to find a regular place in my rotation.

We had friends over for dinner when we served the cake, and sent some home with our guests.  I knew right from the beginning that a key part of the challenge of baking a new cake each week was going to be giving a lot of cake away.

Mexican Chocolate Birthday Cake with Vanilla Bean Butter Frosting

Cake

Unsalted butter (for pan)

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan

2 cups granulated sugar

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cultured buttermilk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon whole milk

½  teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 vanilla bean – inside scraped out

Instructions

1.       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter a 9-inch bundt pan and dust the inside lightly with cocoa powder. 

2.       To make the cake: sift the cocoa powder into a large bowl.  Add the sugar, flour, salt, chili powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda and combine the ingredients with a whisk.

3.       In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed.  Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients slowly, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

4.       Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted at the cake’s deepest point comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

5.       To make the frosting: In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream the confectioners’ sugar and butter until completely smooth, about two minutes.  Add the vanilla extract, milk and the inside of the vanilla bean to the butter mixture and beat everything on medium to high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, about two minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6.       Frost the cooled cake by covering the top and sides completely. 

Adapted from The Naptime Chef: Fitting Great Food into Family Life by Kelsey Banfield